The Doppelganger and Miss Rio Diablo
by DouglasDaleray
Summary: As Horatio is visiting Marisol's grave, Eric drives up and waits to give him news about Detective Frank Tripp. The news he gets is disturbing, but once involved, Horatio realizes his hunch is correct.


"Hey baby, I'm back, but I am sure you know that. I'm doing okay. In fact, I always do better when I come here to talk to you. I sure do miss you Marisol. God how I miss you.

"You'll be glad to know that there is no more Mala Noche. That's right. We took care of that with a little help from Vegas. Oh, yeah, Eric is doing fine now also. I am sure you could see him from Heaven when he was in the hospital.

"You can finally rest better now Marisol. And... I... Well, won't ever be the same without you, but with your help, I'll make it every day," Horatio spoke softly to his departed wife, then he stood and saw Eric standing beside his Hummer with his arms folded.

Horatio flipped his sunglasses in his fingers as he walked towards his once brother-in-law. In his eyes, Eric still was. When he reached Eric, Eric smiled and said, "I bet my sister was happy to find out there was no more Mala Noche."

"She was Eric. She was. Now, tell me what's wrong. You have that look."

"I told Ryan not to call you since I knew where you were. That's why I came here myself. H., Frank has been arrested."

"Frank... Arrested? You should have let Ryan call me."

"And stop you from telling Marisol the good news? I don't think so." Eric announced. "We had it handled."

"What's the charge Eric?"

Eric looked at Horatio with a very concerned look. It was going to be very hard to tell him, but he knew he had to do so.

"Murder, H."

"Murder? Of who, Eric?" Horatio asked with a cocked head.

Eric looked down and then back up and said, "His ex-wife and three children. H., he wants to speak to you."

Horatio looked at Eric, slipped on his sunglasses, then said, "Well Eric, let's give Frank what he wants."

* * *

"Horatio, I didn't kill my ex or children," Frank said the moment Horatio burst through the door.

Horatio laid his sunglasses on the table and said, "I know Francis. I know. Why don't you tell me what happened."

"Mr. Tripp," they heard as the door opened and a slender brunette in a green dress suit entered, "I advise you not to say another word."

"And who the hell are you?" Frank asked as he gave her an annoyed stare.

"Amanda del Riallgo, your appointed counsel," she said in a strong tone.

"I didn't ask for a lawyer yet. When I do, I have my own," Frank said.

"Mr. Tripp, you are entitled to rep..."

"I know what I am entitled to Miss Rio Diablo. I'm a detective, if they did not tell you. I've been putting criminals in the slammer for twenty years now."

"Yes, and now you are one... Sorry, an accused one," Amanda spoke.

Horatio and Frank both caught the snafu by her. They each tried not to show it, then Horatio said, "Excuse me, Miss del Riallgo, but Detective Tripp won't be needing your services."

"Lieutenant Caine, the accused can make his own decision."

"Then I decide you need to leave Miss Rio Diablo," Frank said trying to imitate John Wayne.

"But Detective Tripp, you need..."

"Ma'am, I do believe my officer asked you to leave. He won't be asking you again," Horatio said and gave her a dirty look.

"Fine, just know, I believe you are making a serious mistake Mr. Tripp," Amanda said and turned to walk out.

"Maybe, but it's a mistake I have to make for myself," Frank replied to her back as she slammed the door and exited.

Horatio pulled out his cell phone and dialed Ryan across the hall and he watched him answer. "Mr. Wolfe, see that woman in the green suit walking? Follow her… please."

Horatio and Frank watched Ryan walk out of his lab and fall behind this Amanda del Riallgo. Frank then turned and looked at Horatio and said, "What are you thinking Horatio?"

"I… Frank… am thinking that Miss Rio Diablo, is not who she says she is," Horatio said and gave Frank a look with wheels turning in his head. Frank knew the look all too well.

* * *

Calleigh entered the interrogation room with Natalia in tow. Horatio was sitting with Frank discussing what he was accused of and how Frank had come to find them. Frank was beginning to cry.

Horatio motioned to the door and Calleigh and Natalia followed him out. Frank needed some time to himself.

"Okay, what did you two find," Horatio said as he looked back at Frank. Teardrops now coated the table in front of him.

"Horatio, Frank's wife and children were killed with a police issued service weapon I believe. One of the slugs we recovered in the floor under one of his daughters belongs to a glock and looks like one of ours," Calleigh said and gave Horatio a sorrowful look.

"Not only that, the neighbor said she saw a man fitting Frank's description go inside the house. I showed her a picture of Frank and she confirmed it was him. She didn't think anything of it and went back inside her house. She said the next thing she knew, she was hearing the sounds of sirens, looked out her front window and saw them pile into the yard and before long, the officers were dragging Frank out. She said he was all bloodied, but could tell it was the same man she saw enter." Natalia replied.

"Yeah, Frank tried to save his ex-wife and children. He said he found them that way all in the kitchen. Walter has his clothes and is processing them now."

"Horatio, can I talk to him?" Calleigh asked. "I'd really like to ask him if my hunch is right about the possibility of them being killed with a police issued firearm."

"Be my guest. He needs a fresh face to talk to," Horatio answered.

Natalia stayed in the hall with Horatio as Calleigh went inside with Frank. Frank smiled at Calleigh as she entered. He was always very fond of her. He had a soft place in his heart for Calleigh and she knew it.

"Hi Frank," Calleigh said as she hugged him. "I'm sorry."

"Not as much as I am Calleigh." Frank answered and held on to her a little longer to console himself.

"What do you want to know Calleigh?"

"Frank, did you, by any chance, keep a police issued glock at the house?"

"Cal, before Melissa and I were married, I gave her lessons on how to use a gun. I wanted her to always be protected somewhat when I was not there. After the girls came, it was even more imperative for me to know she had safety, so yes, I kept my reserve piece at the house. After Melissa and I divorced, I told her to keep it. I had to still know she and my daughters were safe. Calleigh. You believe they were killed with my reserve piece don't you?"

Calleigh looked at him and grabbed his hand and said, "Frank, it looks that way, but I won't know for certain until I run ballistics."

"Oh come now, 'Bullet Girl' already knows the answer to that or she would not have even asked me about my reserve piece," Frank said with a smile as he called her a name she acquired early on in her career.

"Well, this 'Bullet Girl' needs to be absolutely sure to prove the innocence of someone she loves," Calleigh answered and gave that smile everyone had come to know so fondly.

Calleigh hugged Frank again and then walked out. Horatio and Natalia were still standing in the hall.

"Well?" Horatio asked as he looked back to Frank still standing, but now looking out the window, all alone with his thoughts.

"My hunch was right. He did keep his reserve piece at the house."

"Calleigh, are you positive it was used in the killings?" Horatio asked.

"Horatio, I'm as positive as my pinky is connected to my hand, but I will still need to run ballistics to make a positive match."

"Do that Calleigh. We need all the evidence we can to prove he did not do this. We all know that he didn't, but knowing and showing are two different things," Horatio said with a very concerned tone.

Natalia looked through the glass to Frank as he stared out the window. She was not saying anything. Horatio could tell there was something on her mind.

"Miss Boa Vista, what is it that you are not saying?" Horatio asked as he stood beside Calleigh.

Natalia turned and said, "Horatio, I feel like there is something we are missing at the crime scene. It's a feeling I have and can't shake."

"Then maybe… you need to go back and find that missing piece. Take Eric with you," Horatio said.

Natalia gave a smile and turned to find Eric. She was in luck. He was just exiting the elevator. Natalia ran to him and pushed him back inside and filled him in on what they were going to do.

Horatio was just about to go back inside with Frank when Walter came walking up in a trot then Horatio's cell phone rang at the same time. Walter had to wait.

"Dr. Loman. . ." Horatio answered and looked at Walter as he held up a finger. He listened then said, "Thank you Dr. Loman, get it to Walter."

Walter heard his name and looked at Horatio as he hung up. "Get what to Walter?" He asked Horatio.

"Nail scrapings found under one of Frank's daughters' hands," Horatio answered as he slipped his phone into his coat pocket.

"Well, that will explain the foreign blood I found on her shirt then. H., the blood does not match Frank's daughter. I've run it through CODIS, but there is no match. H., whoever it belongs too, does not have a record," Walter said then looked at Frank. Frank was now looking at him and Horatio talking and could tell something was going on with the case.

"Looks like Frank's daughter was smart enough to give us evidence. He taught her well. I bet the scrapings will be a match to that blood on her shirt. Get on it Walter!" Horatio said and opened the door to tell Frank the news.

* * *

Ryan followed Amanda del Riallgo to the outskirts of town. He had begun to wonder if Horatio had sent him on a wild goose chase. Finally, she stopped at an abandoned self-service gas station. Ryan slid his Hummer to a halt a good ways behind her so as to not be seen. He had kept his distance well, but still did not want to give away his location. He then got his camera ready.

Amanda got out of her Lexus and began to walk up to the door of the two-bay sun-faded garage doors that Ryan could tell were once a bright green color. It was very obvious to him that for someone to be a lawyer, it was a very odd place to be visiting.

Ryan watched her knock on the garage door. She stood there for a minute then, manually, it was raised. When it was up fully, Ryan could not believe his eyes. It was a good thing he had his camera. Immediately, he picked it up and began snapping pictures of the guy standing just inside the door. If Ryan had not already known Frank was back at the lab with Horatio, he would have sworn Frank was standing inside the garage door meeting this Amanda del Riallgo.

Looks like Frank had a doppelganger and Horatio's intuition was correct about Amanda del Riallgo, Ryan thought.

Ryan watched as Amanda walked inside the bay and the door began to close behind her. He put the phone down in the passenger seat and then pulled out his phone and dialed. When the other end answered, Ryan spoke, "Hey, H., we have an interesting situation. You're gonna wanna see this for yourself."

Ryan then waited for Horatio to show, but he kept a close eye on the abandoned station. He was on ready in case what he observed decided to leave.

Horatio drove up as Amanda was closing the door of her car. He saw her getting ready to leave and yelled to Ryan, who had the window of his Hummer down, "Mr. Wolfe, follow that car!"

"H., the guy is still inside!"

"I'll take care of him, go get Miss Rio Diablo!"

Amanda drove right by where Ryan and Horatio were parked. Horatio and she glared at each other as she passed by and Ryan whipped his Hummer around to fall in behind her. Immediately, Amanda pressed the gas pedal and the chase was on.

Horatio drew his glock and carefully crossed to the abandoned gas station. Her surveyed the perimeter and found a side door slightly ajar. He took his flashlight out and slowly opened the door. Taking a stance, he searched the room with his glock and flashlight and saw it was empty. The area was clear and he moved further inside. Then he heard a radio on to his left.

Taking careful steps, Horatio moved to the tone coming out of the speakers. As he neared the corner, he positioned his gun so it was ready. Horatio reached the door of the old office and maneuvered himself so he could see around the door's molding and he saw the guy sitting in the chair facing the radio.

Horatio wanted to laugh. It was a sight he would never ever see again. The guy looked so much like Frank from the back. Now he understood what Ryan meant when he said, "You're gonna wanna see this for yourself." And that's when it hit him.

Horatio crept almost on his tippy-toes to the guy sitting there, still with his glock locked precisely on the back of his head. He knew the guy had not heard him. It was very easy for him to sneak up on who he knew was the perpetrator and the instigator.

Horatio stuck the barrel of his gun to the nape of the guy's neck and said, "I suggest… that you don't move."

The guy listened. He froze in the chair and said, "Dude, don't shoot. I won't move. Promise," the guy answered in a very Boston accent. Horatio laughed on the inside because that's where the resemblance to Frank stopped. Frank's big Texas drawl was no match at all.

"Stand up and slowly raise your arms," Horatio demanded and kept the gun's barrel on the back of the guy's head. The guy had a bandage on his left arm. Horatio knew exactly what he was covering. There was no doubt in his mind.

The guy complied without hesitation. He was just as tall and built like Frank from the back. Horatio had no problem keeping the gun glued to his skin though.

"Let me have your right hand," Horatio said and took out his handcuffs. He took the guy's right hand and slammed the cuff around it and then grabbed his left and did the same. Then he turned him around. Horatio was amazed at the resemblance to Frank.

"How'd you find me?" the guy asked as he stared straight into Horatio's eyes.

"Amanda del Riallgo," Horatio answered coyly.

"That bitch. I knew she wouldn't keep her frickin' mouth shut!"

"That bitch… 'Mr. Impersonator,' never said a word," Horatio replied as he began the march out of the abandoned gas station with him.

As Horatio led him out of the gas station, the guy looked at him with a funny look and said, "You had her followed didn't you?"

"Ah, you catch on real quickly!" Horatio said as they reached the Hummer.

"I told Amanda not to go and do what she did. I knew nothing would come from it. But no, she had it in her head that it was going to work. That that cop would get what he deserved."

"And just what does 'that cop' deserve?" Horatio asked as he stuffed the guy in the back of the Hummer.

"He killed Amanda's husband and daughter last year, and she wanted justice by taking his."

"And what she gave him was sorrow and emptiness like her, but wait until she learns the truth!" Horatio exclaimed as he cranked up and drove off to the lab.

* * *

"Officer needs assistance in chasing a black Lexus, license plate William-seven-seven-two-Ulysses-Quattro, heading east on Hialeah. Speeds are upward of eighty miles per hour!" Ryan screamed to the dispatcher.

He was dodging motorists left and right trying to keep up with Amanda's Lexus. Somehow, he was able to keep the Hummer in line behind her, but could not get close enough to stop her. The sleekness of her Lexus shot through the air quicker than the box he was driving.

Then Ryan saw the other Hummer turned sideways in front of Amanda's Lexus bringing her to a screeching halt. Eric and Natalia jumped out of their Hummer with guns drawn. Ryan jumped out of his the same.

"Hands on the steering wheel and don't move!" Eric yelled, but saw the look in Amanda's eyes and knew she was not going to listen.

Amanda smiled and let a hand slip from the wheel. Ryan yelled as he neared her door, "The man said don't move!"

Amanda eyed Ryan as he stood beside her front door.

"Hands back on the wheel!" Ryan commanded as all three, him, Eric, and Natalia kept straight aim on Amanda.

This time, Amanda complied, putting her hands on the steering wheel without hesitation.

"We got her covered Wolfe. Go ahead," Eric said and Ryan opened Amanda's car door carefully and reached in, pulled her out, and cuffed her.

"I guess you won't be representing Detective Tripp after all, even if you could," Ryan said as he whipped her around to face his Hummer.

"You mean she is the lawyer appointed to Tripp?" Natalia asked as she holstered her glock.

"Not hardly," Ryan spoke, "She's a hunch Horatio had and turns out was right. She's an imposter."

"Oh officer, you got me all wrong," Amanda said with a coy smile, "Steven is the imposter. I'm the implementer."

"Implementer? Ryan, what is she talking about?" Natalia asked with a perplexed look.

"It'd be better if you saw it for yourself," Ryan said with a smile then pulled out his phone and dialed. "H., we've got her."

* * *

Calleigh and Natalia stood looking through the glass with their jaws dropped. Ryan and Eric stood there almost laughing because they thought it was almost funny. None of them could really believe what they were seeing.

"Oh my, the... the... resemblance is so… uncanny!" Natalia announced.

"Well I think it's obvious now what happened," Calleigh said.

"Yeah, but we don't know why. The motive?" Ryan popped out.

"Don't worry, H. will find out," Eric responded as Walter came walking up with a folder in his hand and he did a double take.

"Whoa, what the...!" Walter said, "I didn't know Tripp had a brother."

"I don't' think he did either," Horatio said laughingly as he walked up to all of them standing around looking.

"H., I've got DNA back on the nail scrapings found under one of Frank's daughters' nails. But obviously, we don't need to try and find who they belong to. I think you found him already," Walter announced and pointed to the room where Steven sat behind the table.

"Yes Walter, I believe I did. The bandage on his arm is proof of that. Where's Miss 'Rio Diablo,' Ryan?" Horatio asked.

"Down there, waiting on you," Ryan pointed.

"Not any longer she isn't. I have a surprise for her." Horatio said and marched down to the room where Ryan had placed her. Ryan fell in behind him and entered with him, anxious to hear this surprise.

"Miss del Riallgo, we meet again," Horatio said spinning his sunglasses in his fingers.

"What did that bastard do? Rad me out?" Amanda replied as she looked at Horatio with a sconce look.

"Actually, yes and no," Horatio answered courtly.

"How do you mean?"

"Well Miss Riallgo, I had a hunch and it was confirmed when I sent Mr. Wolfe here after you. Some people just don't know how to lie very well."

Amanda just looked at Horatio and could not answer. She knew that there was nothing she could say because she had been caught.

"Your husband and daughter, Miss Riallgo?" Horatio asked with a cocked stare.

"Your detective, lieutenant, killed them in crossfire last year at a bank robbery gone bad," Amanda said with tears in her eyes.

"That detective, Miss Riallgo, was not a detective. It was your accomplice," Horatio spoke and smirked.

Both Amanda and Ryan looked at Horatio in amazement. The words came out of Horatio's mouth with no hesitation.

"Come again, lieutenant," Amanda said as she leaned back in her chair.

"That guy, you did not find by accident. He found you. I know what bank robbery you are talking about. Yes, MY detective was there, but it was your accomplice, given the remarkable resemblance to Detective Tripp, that did the killing. He got away. Somehow, he managed to find you because he figured if he could manipulate you into conning Detective Tripp somehow, he would always be free. And you just so thought it would work by posing to be Detective Tripp's attorney." Horatio lectured.

"You mean, all this time, I've been working with the actual killer of my husband and daughter, and made me think that since he looked like your detective, we could manipulate a plan to keep him behind bars forever? That bastard!"

"So you see, you were not the implementer, he was. You were used Miss Riallgo. And might I add, very convincingly." Horatio said and walked to the door and let it shut behind him. He knew that Ryan would take care of the necessities.

Horatio then walked down to the room where Steven was held. As soon as he walked inside, Steven looked at him and said, "You told her didn't you?"

"I did," Horatio answered as he stood looking.

"I knew you knew the truth lieutenant. I could tell. But I had to keep trying. I was just hoping that you would somehow believe me as well," Steven replied and actually laughed.

"But I… Steven… am not as gullible," Horatio said with a sneer and let the officer take him out.

Horatio stood as the officer lead Steven past the room where Amanda was still sitting. Ryan knew it was safer for her to still be in there than taking her at the same time. Horatio watched them as they both stared at each other when Steven was led by the room. If looks could have killed, they would have both been dead.

"The doppelganger and Miss Rio Diablo," Frank said as he stepped up behind Horatio, having been let out of the room by Ryan.

Horatio turned and looked at Frank. With a smile, he said, "Yeah, and I'm John Wayne!"

Chuckles exited their mouths as the scene unfolded. When they turned around, the whole team was looking and laughing as well. It was a moment that none of them would ever forget, but it was a moment where all of them were there for each other, especially Frank.


End file.
